Coal-washing apparatus.



L. LLEWELLYN.

COAL WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 191a.

1,Q67,565. Patented May 28,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FIG-1 WITNESSES INVENTQR L. LLEWELLYN.

COAL WASHING APPARATUS.

APPucATmN FILED JAN. 5. I918.

1,267,565. Patented May 28,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 2

LEE LLEWELLYN, OF DORMONT BOROUGH, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOPITTSBURGH COAL WASHER COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

COAL-WASHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

Application filed January 5, 1918. Serial No. 210,415.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE LLEWELLYN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dormont Borough, South Hills Branch, Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in CoallVashing Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention refers to improvements in washing apparatus for coal orother minerals for the separation of impurities by gravity and thebuoyant effect of water, imparted in a series of pulsating movements.The improvement relates particularly to the construction of the jig anda plurality of simultaneously operating co-acting plungers, as morefully hereinafter described.

The present invention is an improvement in that type of apparatusdisclosed in the patent of TV. A. Knoyer #906,239 dated December 8,1908.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through a coal washingapparatus provided with my improvement, the section being indicated bythe line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises a jig tank 2, preferably rectangular in formhaving inwardly and downwardly sloping ends 3, 3, and a middletransverse partition wall l. Said wall divides the interior space of thejig tank at its upper portion into two substantially equal chambers, asto volume, and each chamber is provided at its lower portion withterminal collecting boxes 10, 10, for slate and other impurities. Thesecommunicate through one wall of the jig tank foundation by an opening 11into a collecting tank 12, which may, if desired, be provided with anopening and a closing door 13 by which the refuse material may bedischarged from time to time.

In the upper portion of the chamber construction are mounted supportingscreens 8, 8 of perforated plate metal, wire netting, or other suitableconstruction adapted to supportthe mineral to be washed and to providefor freeupward travel of the water therethrough, in pulsation, due tothe reciprocating action of the several plungers mounted within thespace below the screens.

mounted across the upper portion upon suitable supporting frames 9, 9,incorporated with the structure.

About midway of each screen, and between the screens in a positioncorresponding to the middle portion of the jig and partitions l and 5, Iprovide substantially fluidtight casings M of plate metal or the like,within surrounding timber or other framing 15 of suitable construction.

A reciprocable shaft 16 is mounted in suitable bearings 17 within thejig, and a packed bearing 18 through one wall thereof, said shaft beingactuated by an eccentric or other suitable mechanism 19 from a drivingshaft 20 of well known construction. Mounted within each casing 1% is aseries of plungers a, Z), and 0 respectively, preferably of varyingcross area, and each fixedly secured to the shaft by collars as shown orotherwise, whereby to reciprocate in unison and to an extent controlledby the throw of the eccentric.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the plungers are at their middleposition, and will reciprocate to the same extent in one direction andthe other. Such reciprocation imparts a series of impulses to theplungers, by which a series of pulsations is produced, causing the waterto surge upwardly through the perforated screens, alternately at eachside of each plunger. The plungers are preferably made of varying crossarea, and with corresponding eliiciency as to their volume ofdisplacement. Thus, the middle plunger 7) is of the largest area, beingutilized to produce the heaviest pulsations and disturbance of water,while plungers a and c are relatively smaller, plunger a beingpreferably slightly larger than plunger 0.

By this means Iprovide a more vigorous washing of the coal in the firstscreen 8 and a more quiet but sufliciently effective disturbance andseparation in screen 8. The passage ot the washed coal from the latterscreen thereby facilitated without unnecessary agitation,

At the inner end of the first screen 8, I locate a slate gate 21,onnected by pitman 22 and a suitable operating lever 23 by which theslate gate may be raised from time to time to release the accumulatedslate, etc.

A deflecting shield or guard '24 extends downwardly and inwardly fromthe traming construction at its middle portion, for the full widthacross the slate outlet opening 25, whereby to effectively protect thesame from the etlect oi the pulsations of themiddle plunger Z Theplunger impelled water in suehcasc will follow a direction generallyindicated by the arrows, upwardly toward the screen 3 and withoutmaterially afiecting the slate out-let.

The raw coal is first discharged onto screen 8 where the main separationof the coarsest slate efi'ected, the slate accumulating on the screenand forming a movable bed. his the slate accumulates it may bedischarged from time to time by gate 21. Also, some of the slate ofthe-smaller sizes may pass downwardly through the perforated screenbottom, the entire mass of slate at all times permitting free upwardpassage of the Water.

Screen 8 is preferably covered with a layer of feldspar or othersuitable material of suiiicient specific gravity to rest upon theperforated screen bottom, preventing the downward passage, of the finerparticles of coal or other light minerals while permitting a free upwardcirculation of the water under the impulses imparted to it by plun gersI) and c, permitting the heavier impurities, as slate, to fall downthrough the burden of the coal: and on to the upper surface of thescreen or of such lining material.

By imparting to the coal a continuous se ries'of rapid pulsations bymeans of the plurality of cooperating reciprocable plungers, I effect apractically continuous washing and separating action of the waterthroughout the entire area of the burden-supporting screens. By locatingthe supplemental plungers a and 0 about midway of the two main portionsof the jig chamber, beyond the middle plunger, it. is not necessary todepend upon the action of the middle plunger alone, its pulsations beingsupplemented by those of the supplemental plungers and resulting in avery thorough application of the water. By this means, I eifect a morerapid and thorough separation of the impurities and thereby greatlyincrease the capacity of the he: i

The raw or unwashed coal is delivered to the receiving S from a bin orother supply by means of chute 26 and the washed coal passes outwardlyot the jig at its other end through a depressed delivery channel 27, aswill be readily understood. ater is supplied to the jigtank as requiredby suitable pipe connections 28.

It will be understood that the number and extent of the strokes may bevaried to suit the character of the coal or other mineral; also, thatthe slope of the screens may be changed, as well as the relative sizeand proportion of the plungers, or that other changes or variations maybe made by the skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of-thefollowing claims.

lVhat I claim is v 1. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank havinga'receiving and an outlet portion, a supporting screen arrangedtransversely of the tank, a plunger located below and at one end of thescreen and another plunger located below and about midway of the screenrespectively, and means for reciprocably actuating said plungerstogether.

2. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank having a receiving and an outletportion, a supporting screen arranged transversely of the tank, aplunger located below and at one end of the screen and another plungerof diiferent area located below'and about midway of the screen, andmeans for reciprocably actuating said plnngers together.

3. A coal washing apparatus comprising a tank having a middle transversepartition terminating below the top of the tank, a perforated screenarranged across the upper portion of the tank at each side of thepartition and extending downwardly toward said partition at each side,an individual plunger framing between and below each screenrespectively,a reciprocable shaft extending through the jig chamberbelow said screens, a plurality of plunger-s mounted thereon eachoperable in one of said trainingsadapted to impart series of pulsations,and means for actuating said shaft.

4;. A coal washing apparatus comprising a tank having a middletransverse partition terminating below the top of the tank, a perforatedscreen arranged across the upper portion of the tank at each side of thepartition .and extending downwardly toward said partition at each side,a reciprocable shaft extending through the jig chamber below saidscreens, a plurality of plungers of different areas mounted thereonadapted to impart series of pulsations, and means for actuating saidshaft.

5. A coal washing apparatus comprising a tank having a middle transversepartition terminating below the top of the tank, a perforated screenarranged across the upper portion of the tank at each side of the-partition and extending downwardly toward said partition at each side, areciprocable shaft extending through the chamber be low said screens, aplurality of plungers mounted thereon and having dilferent areas adaptedto impart correspondingly diiferent pulsations toward the screens indilferent proportions as to selected portions thereof, and means foractuating said shaft.

6. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank having a receiving and an outletportion, a pair of supporting screens arranged transversely of the tank,a plunger located below and between said screens, a plunger locatedbelow and about midway of each of said screens, and means forreciprocably actuating all of said plungers together.

7. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank having a receiving and an outletportion, a

pair of supporting screens arranged transversely of the tank, a plungerof maximum area located below and between aid screens, supplementalplunger-s of reduced area located below and about midway of each of saidscreens, and means for reciprocably actuating all of said plungerstogether.

8. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank having a receiving and an outletportion, a pair of supporting screens arranged transversely of the tank,a plunger of maximum area located below and between said screens, asupplemental plunger of reduced area located below and about midway ofone of said screens, a supplemental plunger of further reduced arealocated below and about midway of the other of said screens, and meansfor reciprocably actuating all of said plungers together.

9. In a coal washin apparatus, a tank having a receiving an an outletportion, a pair of supporting screens arranged transversely of the tank,and sloping downwardly toward the middle thereof, an interveningupwardly extending partition, a refuse discharge opening between one ofsaid screens and said partition, means for releasing accumulated refusematerial from said screen, a shield extending across underneath saidopening, a transverse partition located below the middle of each screenrespectively, each of said partitions having a plunger casing, areciprocable plunger in each of said casings, and means connected witheach of said plungers adapted to actuate them together.

10. In a coal washing apparatus, a tank provided with an outlet conduitat one end, a middle transverse partition, a receiving screen slopingdownwardly toward said partition with an intervening slate outlet space,a gate for said space, a protecting shield therefor, a similar deliveryscreen at the other side of the partition, a transverse partition belowand between said screens and below the middle portion of each screeneach having a plunger housing, a plunger operatively mounted in each ofsaid housings, and means for actuating all of said plungers together.

Intestimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LEE ,LLEWELLYN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

